Hat-brim-curling apparatus



Se e, 16, 1924. 1,508,802

S. J. MILLER HAT BRIM CURLING APPARATUS Filed Sept 13. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet I mvEN M YWQQQQA l I TTO Sept. 16, m4. 1,508,802

S. J. MILLER HAT BfRIM CURLING APPARATUS 7 Filed Sept. 13. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 9 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Se t 16, 192%.

S. J. MlLLER EAT BRIM CURLING APPARATUS 4 sheets -sheet s Filsd Sept. 15 1921 ln lulmlzu u M MW Y..

ATTORNEY 5 Sept. 16 l 924.

S. J. MILLER Filed Sept. 13 192] ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

IJNHTE STATES PATENT FEFEQ E.

STEPHEN J. MILLER, on 'DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

HAT-BRIM-GURLING APPARATUS.

Application filed September 18,1921. Serial No. 500,350.

' a machine of the above type of flexibility of adjustment and of ready rearrangement of certain of its parts to meet various conditions or requirements of operation or for operation upon various types or styles of hats. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of'construction as will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the. following claims.

In the drawings I have shown an embodiment of my invention in which,

Figure 1 isa plan view of a machine embodying the features of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation as viewed from the right in Fig.1;

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view along the-line AA of Fig. 2;

Figure 2 is a detailed detached view in side elevation of the gauge member, certain parts coacting therewith being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation as viewed from the left in Fig. 1, certain parts being'bro-ken away or shown in section to illustrate the construction more clearly;

Figure 4 is an end elevation as viewed from the front in Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away to "show the construction more clearly; j

' Figure 5 is a detailed detached View on an enlarged scale showing a cooperating guide roll and its mounting;

Figure 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of curling button or tool that "may be effectively used in the machine of this inventlon; and

Figure 7 is a side elevation on a similarly enlarged scale of a curling tool.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2' and 3, I have provided a main supporting table 10 mounted on suitable legs or standards 11, the several mechanisms being conveniently mounted upon the table 10. As will be seen more clearly in Fig. 1, the front'portion of the table 10 is substantially entirely exposed to provide a relatively large flat surface upon which may be readily supported a hat body, indicated fragmentarily at 12 in Fig. 3, and in such manner that the brim 13 may rest substantially flatly upon the front portion of the table 10. The table 10 has a rearwardly extending portion 14, as seen in F 5 1, upon which are preferably mounted the mechanisms adapted to operate upon the hat brim 13 to curl. I

The devices operative upon the hat brim 13 to produce the desired curl thereininelude a curling shackle l5 having a substangive the latter the desired tially flat base portion and provided with F an arcuate wall portion 16 which, at the right hand end thereof, as viewed in Fig. 1 and as seen also in Fig. 2, extends in a general vertical direction and extends substantially at right angles to the base portion 15. p

The curling shackle 15 is, as willbe noted,

of irregular shape and the relation between the rear wall portion 16 and the base portion of the shackle changes progressively from the relation just described as existing at the right hand end to a relation better illustrated in Fig. 8 in which it will be seen that the rear wall portion 16 is bent in a forward direction to substantially overlap the base portion of the c-urling chackle 15.

The shackle 15 is heated in any suitable I manner, as for example by means of the Bunsen burner 17, suitable flanges 18be'1ng provided to cen'centrate the heat of the burner upon the shackle and to protect the several mechanisms from the flame of the burner.

A curling tool 19 is mounted for operation within the curling shackle and may conveniently be made of the configuration illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 in which it will be seen that the curling tool or button 19 consists of a rotary member having a plural-- ity of projections 20, herein illustrated as three in number, whose respective surfaces are adapted upon the rapid rotation of the curling button to produce a beating and ironing effect upon the hat brim 13 against the heated curling shackle 15. The curling tool 19 is mounted upon a vertically extending shaft 21 to which it may conveniently be secured as by means of the threads .22 shown in Fig. 7

The vertical shaft 21 is mounted in a bearing 23 which forms a downwardly projecting extension at the forward end of an auxiliary frame 24 which, by means of a downwardly directed lug 24 is in hinged connection with the cylindrical end 26 of a link 26 pivoted to the main frame 26. As will be further seen in Fig. 2, the link 26 is pivoted by means of the pin 25 between a pair of arms 27 integrally formed with the main frame 26 and extending upwardly so the upper ends thereof form. guiding abut ments for the auxiliary frame A spring 26 housed in a recess in the frame 26 and abutting against the link 26 urges the frame 24 and the curling tool 19 toward the right as seen in Fig. 2, the curling tool being thus urged toward the curling shackle 15. At the upper end of the shaft 21 is rigidly mounted a, bevel gear 28 which is driven from the bevel gear 29 of the horizontally extending shaft 30 suitably housed in bushings 31 in the auxiliary frame 24. A pulley 33 connects the driving shaft 30 by means of the driving belt 34 with the driving pulley 35 mounted upon the main driving shaft 36 supported in the bushing 37 upon the under side of the rearwardly extending portion 14 of the main table 10. A suitable ClIiVlIlg pulley 38 upon the main shaft 36 is effective to connect the main driving shaft with a suitable source of power.

A spring 39 housed in a countersunk portion 40 in the upper part of the main frame 26 abuts against the underside of the auxiliary frame 24 and urges the latter, together with the curling tool 19, in a substantially upward direction or counter-clockwise about the pivotal connection 26 as viewed. in Fig. 3. A bracket 41 is bridged across the forward. journal 31 in the auxiliary frame 24 and is secured to the main frame 26 by means of suitable screws 42. The bracket 41 has con trally threaded into it the adjusting screw 43 which is adapted to contact with the .upper surface of the auxiliary frame 24 so as to limit the upward movement of the aux iliary frame 24 in response to the spring 39. A manually operated lock nut 44 upon the screw 43 serves to lock the adjusting screw 43 in its adjusted position. In this manner the degree to which the curling tool 19 can operate upon the upper and overturned por tion of the curl of the hat brim 13 against the overturned wall portion 16 of the curling shackle (as viewed in Fig. 3) may be adjusted at will.

The hat brim 13 is positively advanced in a direction from. right to left, as viewed in Fig. 1, by means of a pair of feed rolls 45 and 46 between which the portion of the hat brim, which is preliminarily upturned by the act-ion of the wall portion 16 of the curling shackle 15, is positively gripped when the hat brim is inserted there-between. The rear feed roll 46 is preferably formed integrally with and at the upper end of a sleeve 46 (see Fig. 2 rotatably mounted upon a stud 47 rigidly held in the bracket arm 48 as by means of the set screw 4'7 A worm wheel 49 is mounted upon the lower end of the sleeve 46 and is connected there with as by means of a set screw 49 so as to rotate the sleeve and hence the feed roll 46 with it. The worm wheel 49 is in connection with the worm 50 mounted upon the main driving shaft 36. The stud 47 is preferably of reduced diameter at its upper end, as at 47 and is provided with a plurality of oil grooves 47 to insure positive 1ubri cation of the sleeve 46 throughout the ertent of the stud 27.

This constructionis particularly desirable since the active bearing surfaces are entirely protected from the detrimental effects of moisture and vapors. As will be understood in the operation of apparatus of this character, the curling operation is usually accompanied by a preliminary moistening of the hat brim, and because of the grippinp; action of the two feed rolls upon the moistened brim, the moisture in the latter is squeezed out of the brim and would otherwise detrimentally affect the running parts of the mechanism. It will be noted, there fore, that the sleeve 46 provides not only a mounting and. driving means for the feed roll 46 but also a protective housing for the active bearing surfaces of the relatively moving parts. Corrosive action resulting from such moisture, as well as from. the vapors arising therefrom as the result of the heating action of the curling shackle, is thus eliminated.

Immediately above the feed roll is a driving gear 51 preferably integrally formed therewith which is adapted to mesh with and drive a cooperating gear 52 preferably also formed integrally with the feed roll 45 which may conveniently be knurled to insure a positive feeding action.

upon a sliding frame 53 provided with a substantially centrally positioned and longitudinally extending slot 54 adapted to guide the sliding frame 53' by means of the guiding member 55 integrally formed with the main frame 26 of the machine. A cover plate 56 secured to the guiding member 55 and overlapping the sliding frame 53 serves to hold the frame 53in position. A spring 57 interposed between the end of the guiding member 55 (see Fig. 2) and a downwardly projecting end member 58 of the sliding frame 53 tends to urge the frame 53 with its associated feed roll 45 toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, and hence to urge the feed roll 45 toward the cooperating feed roll 46 to insure a proper gripping action therebetween.

A bell crank lever pivoted at the rear end of the table portion 14 as at 59 has a vertically extending and oi'fset arm 60 whose upper end engages the rear end of the sliding frame 53 while its arm 61, extending forwardly and underneath the table 10, is adapted to be connected by means of the link 62 to a suitable foot treadle, not shown, to bring about a sliding movement of the frame 53 at the will of the operator. The

feed rolls may thus be readily separated to permit the insertion or to permit the disengagement therefrom of the hat brim operated upon. a

As more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, it will be seen that the feed roll- 45 with its associated driving gear 52 is mounted upon a stud 63 held in the forward end of the sliding frame 53 by means of the set screw 64. The feed roll 45 is countersunk as at 65 for an appreciable depth and a collar 66 integrally formed at the lower end of the stud 63, serves to hold the feed roll n position on the stud. This construction is effective also to prevent the moisture from the brim from contacting with the active bearing surfaces of the feed roll.

It will be understood that a suitable opening is provided in the rear wall 16 of the curling shackle 15 through which the rear feed roll 46 may be exposed to the upturned hat brim within the curling shackle and that the rear feed roll 46thus preferably forms a portion of the rear wall of the curling shackle. It will also be understood that upon the separation of the feed roll 45 from the rear'feed roll 46, the driving gears 52 and 51 are similarly separated from one another. The speed of drive, however, is of such a rate that the meshing of the two gears upon a release of the feed roll 45 may readily take place.

In order to d'termine' the degree of curl given the hat brim 13 and to fix the amount of material of the hat brim actually upturned and formed into the curl there is providedan adjustable gauge cooperating 5 with the rear wan portion 16 of the curling shackle and positioned in advanceof the feed rolls. This adjustable gauge (see Figs. 1, 2, 2 and 4-) consists of an arm 68 having its right hand end, as viewed in Fig. 2,

provided with a rectangular slot 69 for" slidable engagement with a reotangularly shaped guiding block 70 pivoted at 71 to the downwardly extending portion 58 of the sliding frame 53. A spring 72 housed'in a countersunk portion of the block 70 is interposed between the block and the ex treme end wall of the slotted portion 69 of the arm 68 so as to urge the arm 68 toward the right.

At the opposite end of the arm 68 and extending through a suitable cutaway portion (indicated at 16 in Fig. 2 in the rear wall 16 of the curling shackle 15 is a downwardly or vertically extending hook shaped member 73 adapted to retain the preliminarily upturned portion of the hat brim in proximity to the rear wall 16'of The i 76 positively engaged between suitable collars 77, the portion 76 being provided with a suitable longitudinal slot through which the screw 74 may extend, the collars 77 being rigidly secured to the lower end of the adjusting screw 74. The. horizontal portion 76' of the arm 68, and hence the hook I portion 73, is thus made to travel positively in a vertical direction and may thus be adjusted vertically with respect to the plane of the supporting table 10 in response to the operation of the adjusting screw 74, which may be locked in its adjusted position by means of the clamping screw 78 which clamps the screw 74 between the slotted abutments 75. I

The horizontal extending portion 76 of the arm 68, in thus projecting through the 1 slot 16 in the vertically extending rear wall portion 16 of the curling shackle 15 (see Fig. 2, and more particularly Fig. 2*) acts directly as a gauge' for limiting the amount of the hatbrim 13 which is preliminarily upturned; and it will readily be seen from Fig. 2 that the amount ofmaterial of the hat brim thus upturnedand fed by the feed rolls 45 and 46 to the curling devices may be readily predetermined by adjusting the height of the horizontally extending portion 7 6 of'the arm 68 with respect to the plane of the supporting table 10. fit iil tliu sfbeseen the amen-aft of material o'ftn' hat-bri fii that is preli iii inaiily upturned against the rear wall 16 of the curling shackle may be lreadily determined by adjusting the height of the horizontally extending gauging portion 76 of the arm member 68 as above described, and that no variations or discrepancies in the amount of material for which the gauge is once adjusted can subsequently'arise by reason of variations in the thickness of the material bperated upon. The spring 72 constantly urges the hook shaped member or vertically extending portion 73 toward the rear wall 16 (see Fig. 2 and thus causes the upturned portion of the hat brim to be securely gripped between itself and the rear wall 16 of the curling shackle. It might at this point be noted that the material of the hat brim is of such character that, where the distance between the hook-shaped member 73 and the rear wall 16 is fixed, the amount of material of the brim preliminarily upturned and determined by thegauging member may readily vary, since the hat brim material might, for example, be so softand pliable that the preliminarily upturned portion may readily be crimped between the hookshaped member 73 and the rear wall 16. Such action is undesirable since the amount of material of the brim upturned and formed into a curl may thereby readily vary and thus destroy the accuracy of the curling operation. This undesirable effect is successfully avoided by the construction hereinbefore described and by means of which the preliminarily upturned portion of the brim is snugly engaged by the automatically adjustable hook-shaped member 7 3, and the curling, crimping or bending over of the upturned portion between the hook-shaped member 73 and the rear wall 16 is thus avoided. The same height of upturned material of the brim is thus assured for varying thicknesses of material. It will also be noted that the gauging member 68 in being pivotally mounted upon the sliding frame 53 will partake of the forward movement of the latter when it is desired to separate the feed rolls and will thus also cause the withdrawal of the hook shaped or vertically extending portion 73 from the rear wall 16 of the curling shackle.

As has been hereinbefore noted, the hat body operated upon by the machine is adapted to rest upon the main table portion 10, but in order that the upturned portion of the hat brim, the amount of which. is determined by the gauging member 73, may be positively maintained in engagement with the several operative devices hereinbefore described, means are provided for urging the hat body and hence the hat brim in a direction toward the several operative devices. Such means, while not wholly indispensable, are desirable of employment where ii? ii I101? desired to place reliance entirely upon the knurled surface of the feeding roll 15 toprevent the upturned portion of the brim to be withdrawn from the feeding rolls.

A guiding or retaining roll 79, shown on an enlarged scale in a detached view in Fig. 5, is mounted for rotation upon a stud rigidly mounted in the slide 81 supported in the pair of ways 82 secured to the under side of a substantially centrally positioned and removable plate 83 forming the central portion of the main table 10,-the plate 83 being removably mounted in a manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A suitable slot 84 extending in the general direction toward the several operative mechanisms above described is made in the plate 83 so as to permit the stud 80 to project through the plate 83 and to be moved along the guiding ways 82 which are in substantial alignment with the slot 84.

To the under side of the guiding plate 81 (see Figs. 4t and 5) is secured a pair of spaced pins 85 between which extends a lever 86 pivoted to the under side of the plate 83 by means of the stud 87. A spring 88 secured to a post 89 upon the lever 86 and having its other end secured to the downwardly extending post 90 preferably formed integrally with the plate 83, tends to urge the lever 86in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, so as to urge the guiding roll 79 along the slot 8st and toward the several operativedevices of the machine. As is clearly shown in Fig. 3, the guiding roll 79 is adapted to engage the inner and lower portion of the crown of the hat body 12 and adjacent to the brim portion 13 thereofso as to urge the latter toward the operative mechanisms to a degree determined by the adjustable horizontally extendinggauging portion 76 and the automatically adjustable vertically extending portion 73 of the arm 68 hereinbefore described.

In order that the guiding roll 79 may be withdrawn away from the operative mechanism so as: to permit the insertion or withdrawal of the hat body, I have provided means forconnecting the lever 86 for conjoint movementwith and in response to the arm 61 of the bell crank lever hereinbefore described and operated through the link 62 by a suitable foot treadle for example. As is clearly shown, one end of the lever 86 is connected by means of the link 91 to an arm 92 of the bell crank lever pivoted at 93 to the lower end of the post 90 on the under side of the plate The other arm 94 of the bell crank lever extends rearwardly and in alignment with the arm 61 of the other bell crank lever and so to extend underneath and in engagement therewith. It will thus be seen from Fig. 2, for example, that upon operation of the link 62 in a downward direction in response to the foot treadle, the b ll crank le er 60-61 W ll b operated and also the bell crank lever 94l92, each bell crank lever operating the several devices related thereto.

The apparatus hereinbet'ore described is especially adapted for producing the usual and more common form of curl in hat brims and of the general type as illustrated in Fig. 3. Occasion, however, arises for producing a curl in. the reverse direction, that is, a curl in which the edge of the brim, instead of being turned upwardly toward the crown or body portion of the hat, is turned downwardly or away from the body portion. I have, moreover, arranged the apparatus hereinbefore described in such manner that this other type or style of curl known in the art as an under-welt curl, may be readily produced by the operative devices of the machine already described.

The plate 83, already mentioned above as forming the central part of the main table 10 and as having mounted upon it and upon its under side the guiding or retaining roll and its operative mechanism, is made removable together with the devices mounted upon it, thus to form an opening in the central part of the table 10 through which the body portion or crown of a hat may project in a downward direction or in a position exactly the reverse from that shown in Fig. 3.

Refe ring more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be noted that on the under side of the main table 10 and in the general region underneath the operative devices there is secured to thetable 10 an L-shaped bracket 95 which is adapted to form a ledge upon which may be supported a plate 96 secured to the under side of the plate 83, thus to support the one end of the plate 88. At the opposite' side of the opening into which the plate 83 fits, the table 10 is provided with a beveled surface 97 which forms a supporting ledge for the correspondingly beveled edge of the plate 83. A latch 98 in the form of a wing nut pivotally mounted upon a stud 99 on the under side of the plate 83 is adapted to lock the contiguous beveled faces of the table 1.0 and of the plate 83 together. The plate 83 and the opening in the table 10 into which it is adapted to fit are made of such shape and size .as to readily permit the rotation of an inverted hat body or crown within the opening when the plate. 83 is removed and during which rotation the curling devices are operative upon the brim. Suitable. finger holes 100 are provided in the plate 83 for lifting the latter out of position.

It will thus be seen that the plate 83 may be readily removed from the table 10 so as to leave an opening in. the latter to accommodatethe crown or body of a hat when it is desired to produce an under-welt curl.-

F'urthermore, such removal of the plate 83 also removes: the retaining or guiding roll and its operative devices which are thus made to otter no obstruction on the under side of the table 10 and so that the inverted hat body may be readily inserted in the opening in they-table. It will also be seen that the replacement of the plate 83 automatically replacesalso the guiding. roll and automatically connects the latter with the manually operated devices for controlling the position of the guidingroll. i 7

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention an apparatus in which the several objects of the invention have been achieved andin which many advantages have been attained. It will further be noted that this invention has provided a mechanism of great flexibility of adjustment and rearrangement to meet various require ments of operation andtha-t the apparatus is esentially of'a practical nature.

As many possible embodiments may be made or the above invention,'and as many changes may be made in the embodimentabove set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is tobe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as'my invention:

1. In apparatus ofthe' character described, in combination, a curling shackle, means cooperating with said: shackle for. producing; a

curl in a hat brim, means for preliminarily guiding said hat brim to said means, an ad ustable gauging member assoclated wlth said guiding means tor predetermining the amount of material of said brim passed between said gauging member andsaid guiding means to be formed into a curl by said shackle and said cooperating means, and) means operative to automatically adjust said gaugingmemberwith respect to said guiding means to compensate for varying thicknesses, of said material.

2. Inapparatus of the character described, in combination, a curling shackle having as sociated with it a substantially vertically extending guiding wall, means cooperating with said shackle for producinga curl in a hat brim, said guiding well being operative to guide said hat brim to said'means, a vertically adjustable gauging member'cooperae ing with said guiding wall for predetermining the amount of material of said brim passing therebetween to be formed into a curl by said'shackle and'said means and an automatically operative means for adjust-- ing said gauging member in a horizontal di rection with respect to saidguidingwallin accordance with .varylng thicknesses of material'. I l

3. In apparatus of the character described,"

in combination, a curling shackle having assoclated with 1t a substantially vertically extendlng guiding wall, means cooperating with said shackle for producing a curl in a hat brim, a pivotally mounted gauging mem ber cooperating with said guiding wall, means for adjusting said gauging member about its pivot for predetermining the amount of material of said brim passing between said member and said guiding wall to be formed into a curl, and spring means associated with the pivotal mounting of said gauging member for automatically adjusting the latter with respect to said guiding wall for varying thicknesses of material passing therebetween.

4. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a curling shackle having associated therewith a substantially vertically extending guiding wall, means cooperating with said shackle for producing a curl in a hat brim, a gauging member associated with said guiding wall and having a horizontally extending portion for limiting the amount of material of said hat brim extending vertically in contact with said guiding wall and having a vertically extending portion for maintaining said portion of said brim in contact with said guiding wall, means for vertically adjusting said gauging member with respect to said guiding wall to vary the amount of material passed therebetween and to be formed into a curl, and automatically operating means for urging said vertically extending portion of said gauging member toward said guiding wall.

5. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a curling shackle, means cooperating therewith for producing a curl in a hat brim, a feed roll operative to advance said brim to said curl producing devices, means for moving said roll to permit said brim to be engaged thereby or disengaged therefrom, a gauging member adapted to engage said brim for determining the amount of material thereof to be formed into a curl by said devices, and means operable by said roll moving means for moving said gauging member to permit the insertion or withdrawal of said. brim.

6. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, a feed roll adapted to advance said brim to said curling means, a sliding frame for mounting said feed roll, means for moving said frame to permit said brim to be placed in operative relation to or withdrawn from said feed roll, an adjustable gauge for predetermining the amount of material of said brim to be formed into a curl, and means mounting said gauge on said sliding frame.

7. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, means providing a guiding wall for preliminarily upturning said brim in advance of said curling means, a feed roll for advancing the upturned portion of said brim to said curling means, means for moving said feed roll into or out of engagement with said brim, a gauge cooperating with said guiding wall for predetermining the amount of material of said brim preliminari ly upturned, means automatically operative to adjust said gauge with respect to said guiding wall for varying thicknesses of material, and means operable by said feed roll moving means to move said gauge away from said guiding wall.

8. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, a guiding wall a sociated therewith for preliminarily upturning a portion of said hat brim, a feed roll for advancing said brim to said curling means, a sliding frame for mounting said feed roll for moving toward or away from said brim, manually controlled means for moving said frame, a gauging member cooperating with said guiding wall for determining the amount of material of said brim that is preliminarily upturned, means mounting said gauge on said sliding frame to be movable therewith, and means coopcrating with said gauge mounting means for automatically adjusting said gauge with respect to said guiding wall for varying thicknesses of material.

9. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, a table for supporting a hat body in operative relation to said curling means; for producing an upturned curl in said brim, said table being provided with a substantially centrally positioned opening for accommodating a hat body in inverted position for producing an under-welt curl, a detachable plate covering said opening, said plate; having a slot extending in the general direction toward said curl-producing means, guiding means slidably mounted with respect to said slot projecting upwardly above said plate and adapted to engage a hat body to urge the brim thereof toward said curling means and having a downwardly extending part projecting from the under side of said plate, and spring means mounted upon the under side of said plate and in connection with said downwardly extending part of said guiding means for urging said guiding means in said slot toward said curlproduc ing means said plate with said guiding means on one side thereof and said spring means on the other side thereof being removable to expose said opening in said table to accommodate the crown of said hat body for producing an under-welt curl in said brim.

10. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, a table for supporting a hat body in operative relation to said curling means for producing an upturned curl in said brim, said table being provided with a substantially centrally positioned opening for accommodating the crown of an inverted hat body for producing an under-welt curl, a detachable plate fitted into said opening in said table, guiding means mounted on said plate and operative upon said hat body for urging the brim thereof toward said curling means, manually operative means associated with said table for moving said guiding means to engage or disengage a hat body when producing an upturned curl, and a detachable connection between said manually operative means on said table and said movable guiding means, said movable guiding means being removed with said detachable plate and being disconnected from said manually operative means upon the removal of said plate.

11. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, a table for supporting a hat body in operative relation to sa d curling means for producing a curl in said brim, said table being provided with a slot extending in the general direction toward said curl-producing means, a guiding roll ext-ending upwardly from said table and slidably mounted with respect to said slot adapted to engage the inside of the crown portion of the hat body to urge the latter and the brim thereof toward said curl-producing means, said guiding roll having an associated member extending downwardly through said slot and to the under side of said table, spring means mounted upon the under side of said table and in connectlon with said downwardly extending associated part for urging said guiding roll along said slot and toward said curl producing means, and manual means operative to oppose said spring means for giving at will to said guiding roll a. retrograde movement,

12. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim and means for advancin said brim to said curling means, said a vancing means including a feed roll, an upwardly extending stud rigidly mounted for rotatably supporting said feed roll, a downwardly extending sleeve connected with said feed roll and encasing said stud, and means mounted upon the lower end of said sleeve for driving said feed roll.

13. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim and means for advancing said brim to said curling means, said advancing means including an upwardly extending stud forming a bearing surface throughout substantially its entire extent, a sleeve rotatably supported upon said stud and substantially entirely encasing said stud, a feed roll mounted at the upper end of said sleeve, and means for rotating said sleeve about said stud. r a I 14.'In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, means for preliminarily upturning said hat brim prior to the operation of said curling means, and gauging means for predetermining the amount of material of said brim preliminarily upturned and to be subsequently curled comprising a vertically adjustable member for determining the amount of ma terial of said brim preliminarily upturned and a pair of substantially vertically extending members between which said upturned portion of said brim is passed, one of said vertically extending members being yieldingly mounted with respect to the other vertically extending member thereby to snugly engage the upturned portion of said brim.

15. In apparatus of the character de scribed, in combination, means for producinga curl in a hat brim, meansfor preliminarily upturning a portion of said hat brim, and gauglng means associated therewith for predetermining the amount of material of said brim to be formed into a curl including a pair of substantially vertically extending members between which said upturned portion of said hat brim is passed, means mountlng one of said members to be urged toward the other thereby to snugly engage said up turned portion of said hat brim, and a vertically adjustable member associated with said two members for predetermining the amount of material passed between said two members.

16. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl 111 a hat brim, a table for supporting a hat body in operative relation to said curling means for producing an u turned curl in said brim, said table being provided with a substantially centrally positioned opening for accommodating the crown of an inverted hat body for producing an under-welt curl, a detachable plate fitted into said opening in said table, guiding means mounted on said plate and operative upon said hat body'for urging the brim thereof toward said curling means, a lever having a free 0 erative portion adapted upon movement t erect to move said guiding means to engage or disengage a hat body when producing an upturned curl, and manually operative means associated with said table adapted when said detachable plate is fitted into said opening in said table to engage said operative portion of said lever for moving said guiding means to engage or disengage a hat body when producing an upturned curl, said movable guidin means being removed with said detachab e plate and said operative portion of said lever thereon being placed out of operative relation to said manually operative means on said table upon said plate being removed.

17. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, a pair of feed rolls for advancing said brim to said curling means, one of said rolls being movable away from the other, a table for supporting a hat body in operative relation to said curling means, guiding means mounted on said table and operative upon said hat body for urging the brim thereof into engagement with said curling means, and manually operative means associated with said table for simultaneously moving said movable feed roll out of engagement with said brim and for moving said guiding means out of engagement with said hat body.

18. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, means for preliminarily upturning a portion of said hat brim, a movable feed roll for advancing said brim to said curling means, gauging means for predetermining the amount of material of said hat brim preliminarily up turned including a pair of substantially vertically extending members, one of which is yieldingly urged toward the other, and between which said upturned portion of said brim is passed, and a vertically adjustable member for determining the amount of said hat brim engaged between said vertically extending members, guiding means adapted to engage the hat body and adapted to urge the brim thereof toward said curling means,

and manually operative means for movin said feed roll out of engagement with said brim, for moving one of said vertically extending pair of members away from the other, and for moving said guiding means out of engagement with said hat body.

19. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means for producing a curl in a hat brim, a table for supporting a hat body in operative relation to said curling means for producing an upturned curl in said brim, said table being provided with a substantially centrally positioned opening for accommodating the crown of an inverted hat body for producing an under-welt curl, a detachable plate fitted into said opening in said table, guiding means mounted on said plate and operative upon said hat body for urging the brim thereof toward said curling means, a movable feed roll for advancing said hat brim to said curling means, manually operative means associated with said table for moving said movable feed roll into or out of engagement with said hat brim, and a detachable connection between said manually operative means on said table and said movable guiding means on said plate for moving said guiding means substantially when said feed roll is moved, said movable guiding means being removed with said detachable plate and being disconnected from said manually operative means upon the removal of said plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 10th day of September, 1921.

STEPHEN J. MILLER. 

